NGT issues notice to Delhi govt, municipal corporation over sanitation strike

The green court has summoned all the stakeholders on Wednesday and formed a committee to tackle solid waste in the city

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday issued a notice to the Centre, Delhi government, East Delhi Municipal Corporation and the union of sanitation workers over strike due to non-payment of salaries.

The east Delhi areas that have been hit the most are Laxmi Nagar, Preet Vihar, Krishna Nagar, New Ashok Nagar, Vinod Nagar, Khichripur and other adjoining areas. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

The green court has summoned all the stakeholders on Wednesday and formed a committee to tackle solid waste in the city.

The move comes as the strike called by sanitation staff of East Delhi Municipal Corporation to protest against non-payment of salaries since November 2016, entered its sixth day. Though the Delhi government has released ₹119 crore to the civic body, workers say it is not enough for even one month.

The east Delhi areas that have been hit the most are Laxmi Nagar, Preet Vihar, Krishna Nagar, New Ashok Nagar, Vinod Nagar, Khichripur and other adjoining areas. Huge piles of garbage are lying outside these colonies with sanitation workers refusing to pick the garbage until their salaries are paid. In East Delhi, around 2500 MT garbage is generated every day.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had accused the BJP of politicising the issue and claimed that the area councillors had siphoned off the funds meant for salaries. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari advised the chief minister to “not play with numbers related to funds provided by the government to the civic body and announce a special package for the East Delhi Municipal Corporation.”